The Good Neighbor Program as a CityLab Graduate Project
Ward 5 Works & the Good Neighbor ProgramIf was asked by fellow District residents about Ward 5 Works, the industrial land transformation plan recently released by DC government, or the Good Neighbor Program it recommends, I would respond by asking two questions.
1. Should DC prepare to protect and sustain the well-being of its critical assets? I believe nearly everyone would agree, yes. The Ward 5 Works plan is all about protecting industrial land as a critical asset and ensuring its continued place within the District by evolving the relationship between industry and the city. 2. In doing so, should the city government consider the community impact and ensure community feedback is used to inform decisions in a balanced manner? Again, I believe the response would be nearly unanimous in agreement. The Good Neighbor Program recommended by the Ward 5 Works plan is intended proactively to address this concern. In his introductory letter to the report, Mayor Gray wrote that Ward 5 Works is “about ensuring that businesses and municipal facilities are good neighbors that create benefits and amenities for surrounding communities.” The ProjectMy CityLab team and I chose to help design and progress the Good Neighbor Program as our CityLab practicum graduate project. The resultant proposal will be made freely available to DC agencies and interested parties of the public.
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